


Getting to know you

by ToTheStarsWriting



Series: dragon!Alec [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Communication, Cuddling, Developing Relationship, M/M, Nervous Alec, is important!, isabelle is a great sister, letting characters talk to each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 10:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19227805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting
Summary: The relationship between Alec and Magnus continues to grow. For the first time, Alec gets to experience that rush of love he's heard so much about, the sheer happiness that can come at the simple sound of anothers voice.But, the closer they get, the more that Alec knows he's going to have to speak up. Because what's a relationship without honesty? And he hasn't been honest with Magnus.It was just… how was he supposed to know when? When was the gap of time between too soon and too late?





	Getting to know you

Dating Magnus somehow managed to simultaneously be the most amazing and most nerve-wracking thing that Alec had ever found himself doing. Having the warlock in his life was definitely a choice for the better. As the days passed into weeks, and weeks into months, Alec couldn’t picture his life _without_ Magnus in it. They talked constantly, whether it be talks on the phone during stolen moments, quick texts back and forth throughout the day, or just sitting around in Magnus’ loft with drinks in hand.

Sometimes they went out. Magnus had the ability to portal them anywhere, and he seemed to want to show Alec everything. The fact that Alec had only really been to New York and Idris personally offended Magnus for some reason. “There’s a whole wide world out there, Alexander,” he told Alec one night, smiling up at him. “It’d be a shame for you to miss out on it.”

But sometimes they stayed in, too, and just curled up together watching movies on Magnus’ couch. Or they took drinks and food out onto the balcony and talked for hours. Other times they ended up pressed together, kissing and touching each other in a slow, steady burn of heat, even if they hadn’t quite gone much farther than that yet. Alec hadn’t even slept over in Magnus bed just to _sleep_ , even though Magnus had offered.

This thing with Magnus was amazing and new, and such uncharted territory for Alec. Yet despite his worries, despite his shyness, he found there was also a boldness in himself that he recognized as his other half asserting itself. While Alec might still be unsure sometimes, his dragon-self wasn’t. It pushed him to keep going, forcing his human-self to keep up and come to terms with this much faster than he probably would have on his own.

Things with Magnus… they were so _different_. There’d never been a time in Alec’s past that he could honestly remember being more than just vaguely attracted to someone. He’d had a period of time where he’d thought what he felt for Jace was more than just an attraction and a feeling of brotherly love. It’d been different than what he felt for Isabelle, and he’d definitely been physically attracted to Jace, so he’d convinced himself that it meant he loved Jace the way that Maryse loved Robert.

To be fair, the only real understanding that Alec had of any sort of love or relationships were what he felt for his sister, what he felt for his parents, and what his parents felt for one another. Those were the only real relationships that Alec was exposed to aside from any work-related types. When what he felt for Jace didn’t fit into the same category as what he felt for Isabelle, Alec assumed that it meant it was more like what his parents had. He hadn’t yet learned about how many different types of love there were.

It took both his teacher and his sister to help Alec begin to understand the different types of ways you could love someone. That it didn’t have to be one or the other. That there were a million different types of love.

Since then, though Alec still felt attracted to Jace now and again – in a purely aesthetic way – he’d never really thought about any kind of romantic love. It was too complicated, he’d decided. After all, being with someone like that meant being open and honest, and there were so many reasons that Alec _couldn’t_. He was attracted to men, and that wasn’t something that Shadowhunters, or his parents, would be okay with. Meaning that whatever relationship Alec had wouldn’t be able to be out and visible like anyone else’s without a ton of risk.

The fact that he was now dating not only a man but a _warlock_ , sometimes made Alec feel a little bit sick with worry. Worry about what the Shadowhunters here might say. Worry about what his parents might say. Worry about the _Clave_. Dating Magnus and having to keep it all a secret wasn’t easy. For either of them.

But even that was nothing compared to having to keep his entire _species_ secret. He couldn’t go around telling people he just met that, oh yeah, he was a _dragon,_ but at what point was it safe? At what point was it just long enough that he could trust the other person without it being _too long_ and leaving the other person feeling like Alec didn’t trust them – like their whole relationship had been a lie?

Those questions had plagued Alec many times. Because of them, and because of the kind of life he led, he’d mostly resolved to never get himself involved in any serious way.

Until he met Magnus.

He was becoming so much a part of Alec’s life. More than Alec had thought he would back on that first night.

Ever since they’d finally managed to squeeze in their coffee shop date, it felt like things became simultaneously easier and yet harder. They’d spent two hours there just enjoying the coffee and one another’s company in a way Alec hadn’t even really known was possible. There was just something so _easy_ about talking with Magnus. Like it didn’t matter to him that they talked about what were probably considered boring things by most people, just so long as it was _them_.

Magnus answered any questions Alec had easily, not shying away from much of anything. He talked about his past, sharing whatever story came to mind, and he talked easily about being a warlock.

It wasn’t just on that date, either. Magnus seemed to just be… opening up his life for Alec. Over the past two months they’d moved from simple coffee dates, or quick drinks at Magnus’ club, to quiet evenings in Magnus’ loft eating dinner and working their way through the movies Magnus insisted Alec needed to watch. They’d shared drinks up there, and quiet talks on the balcony, slowly enjoying what Isabelle called the _getting to know you_ phase. It was wonderful.

It was terrifying.

For all that Alec tried to open up the same way that Magnus was, the stories didn’t come easily to him, and Alec was constantly aware that there was one big thing that he had yet to tell, which in turn was causing him to keep so many other, smaller things to himself.

It was something Alec hated himself for sometimes, even if other times, he tried to justify it to himself. How exactly were you supposed to tell someone something like this? Just, _oh, hey, I’m not just a Shadowhunter, I’m also a dragon thanks to genetic experimentation by Valentine on my mother while she was pregnant_. Yeah, like _that_ was going to go over well.

At the same time, Alec _knew_ he had to tell him eventually. The only reason Magnus hadn’t figured it out so far was that Alec had damn good shields. But, the closer they got, the more that Alec knew he had to say something. It was just… how was he supposed to know _when_? When was the gap of time between _too soon_ and _too late_?

It was a question he brooded over a lot. Overthinking, he knew Isabelle would call it. Jace, probably, too. But they were always more impulsive than Alec. Knowing either one of them, they would’ve told something like this within the first few dates.

With as much as it was on Alec’s mind, he wasn’t surprised that it was on his sister’s mind as well, or that she finally found him in his office and confronted him about it.

Sometimes Isabelle could be really good at beating around the bush and trying to poke and prod until she got the answers she wanted. Other times, she preferred a direct attack. Tonight was clearly option two.

Alec was in his office dealing with some mission reports that needed going over when Isabelle let herself in. She didn’t let the closed door stop her. Without even bothering to knock, she just came on in, shutting the door behind her as she did.

Lifting his head, Alec arched an eyebrow at her. “Please, come right on in.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Isabelle said, grinning. She folded herself down into one of the chairs across the desk from him in an easy, graceful move. “I wanted to talk to you, and this room has the best permanent wards on it.”

That was enough to have Alec going still. Isabelle wasn’t wrong; Alec’s office had the best warding on it. Not only did it have special runes up to guarantee privacy, but Magnus had also added some extra warding the last time he’d come in to do a check on the Institute’s wards. He’d said that it would guarantee that Alec would be able to talk to anyone about whatever he needed to without being eavesdropped on. Alec had a feeling Magnus had mostly done it so that they could talk in there without being overheard, or so Magnus could drop by – because he’d also adjusted it so that he could portal directly in there without issue.

The idea that Isabelle felt the need to come in here behind these wards to talk to him was enough to have Alec setting down paper and pen and folding his arms on the desk. His full attention was diverted directly to her. “What’s wrong?”

Her answer was nothing like what he’d expected, though he probably should have.

“Have you told Magnus you’re a dragon yet?”

If Alec had still been holding the pen, he knew he would’ve dropped it. As it was his hands twitched a little against the desk. “Izzy!”

“I’ll take that as a no,” she said, sighing. Crossing one leg over the other, Isabelle leaned to the side, curling up just a bit against the armrest of her chair. Her pose was casual and relaxed in a way she didn’t let show with just anyone. But her face? Her face was serious. “Alec, you _have_ to tell him. If you want this to go anywhere between the two of you, he needs to know the truth.”

She wasn’t wrong, and they both knew it. Hearing it said out loud like this was enough to have Alec wincing and ducking his head a bit. “It’s not that easy.” Sighing, Alec ran a hand through his hair. He’d been agonizing about this on his own for so long now. Practically from the start. Maybe it would help to say it out loud to someone who knew and understood, at least as much as was possible. “How do I know when to do it? I mean, we’ve only been seeing each other for a few months now. From what I’m getting, that’s not even that long. I’ve never even stayed the night over there.” Though not for lack of wanting to.  “It feels like, like it’s too soon to tell him. But at the same time, it feels like if I wait much longer, I’m just lying to him, and I don’t, I don’t wanna do that.”

If Isabelle was surprised by just how much Alec was opening up, she didn’t show it. “For what it’s worth, I think you can trust him. Even if you two don’t make it together, I don’t see him doing anything to betray you. Not like that.”

“But how do I know? It’s not just me at risk here, Iz. It’s all of us. We have no idea what the Clave would do if they knew. To me, to you guys.” And that right there was his biggest fear. If it were just Alec that was going to be at risk, that’d be one thing. But Alec’s whole family would be at risk – his _Clan_. “How am I supposed to risk you guys for this?”

“How can you ever expect to be happy with someone if you’re only sharing half of who you are?” Isabelle shot back.

The question struck Alec hard. He sat back in his seat and blinked a few times, stunned by the simple words.

A soft look crossed Isabelle’s face. She rose from her chair and made her way around the desk, coming right up to him. Then she put her hand on his shoulder and bent down to kiss the top of his head. “I just want you to be happy, big brother. And Magnus makes you happy. You guys already have enough trouble you’re fighting against. Don’t mess it up because of a secret you could’ve told but didn’t.”

That was all Isabelle had to say. With a squeeze to his shoulder, she let him go, leaving the room and quietly shutting the door behind her. She knew Alec well enough to know that she’d given him plenty to think about.

* * *

As the day progressed, the question stayed in the back of Alec’s mind, something that he couldn’t let go of. He worried about it. About what to say, when to say it, how Magnus might react to things. Alec had no worries about the warlock figuring his secret out. Shielding himself was one of the earliest things that Alec had learned. If he hadn’t, every warlock he came across would know, and Alec’s secret wouldn’t have stayed secret for very long. With shields around himself strong enough to fool even the angelic wards on the Institute, Alec wasn’t worried that Magnus would guess his secret.

Though, in some ways that might’ve been easier. It would take the responsibility of it out of his hands.

Alec still hadn’t figured out an answer to everything by the time he went to movie night that night at the loft.

He and Magnus were settled in together on the couch with a bunch of Chinese takeouts on the coffee table in front of them. Patrol had run late that night thanks to a Shax demon, yet Magnus hadn’t seemed to mind Alec showing up in his work clothes, or a few hours later than they’d originally planned. He’d just let Alec in, called up some food for them, and put in the second Lord of the Rings movie.

As much as Alec found himself enjoying the movies they watched together, he enjoyed watching Magnus even more.

When they went out on their dates, Magnus was always dressed to impress. Even when portaling them to somewhere like Japan or Bali or somewhere else, he always had an outfit to match the occasion, and his outfits were always spectacular. But those were nothing compared to the way he looked while relaxed like this, dressed down in the comfort of his own home, and comfortable with the person he was with. This was, by far, one of Alec’s favorite looks on him. Though he’d honestly yet to see Magnus look anything but amazing.

He was in what Alec was pretty sure Isabelle called yoga pants, bare feet, and a loose and comfortable looking orange and red shirt with a neckline halfway down his chest. His hair was still spiked, though more like the product left by the end of the day instead of his usual perfect style, and he only had on a few rings and just one necklace. It was the most dressed down Alec had seen him so far.

Alec _loved_ it. The dragon inside let out a happy little rumble at the sight of this gorgeous man. Keeping that rumble inside was difficult when Magnus caught him staring and flashed him a warm, open smile.

Blushing at getting caught staring, Alec ducked his head, trying to focus back on his food and the movie. He didn’t miss the spike of something spicy-sweet that twisted through Magnus’ scent – humor, he’d learned, and something else that made Alec’s blush deepen. Nor did Alec miss the small smile that Magnus wore that was just a bit proud. Alec just chose to ignore them and pay attention to the movie.

His attempt at distraction worked. As Alec finally focused on the movie, he found himself getting sucked into it. Food was eaten and then discarded, forgotten, and Alec’s earlier nerves were forgotten too.

Alec enjoyed the quiet sort of nights like this. Ones where there weren’t a bunch of people around. It was just him and Magnus. Feeling Magnus beside him, smelling him all around, it slowly drained Alec’s tension away until he was slumped down in his seat, loose and relaxed.

Magnus looked down at him when Alec sank a bit lower. He smiled softly at the sight, and then surprised Alec by lifting an arm up in clear invitation. One that, after only a small hesitation, Alec took him up on. He’d gotten better about accepting these easy touches that Magnus handed out so easily. He had to kick his legs up on the coffee table to make himself comfortable after that, but once he did it was easy to relax his upper half back against Magnus’ chest, the warlock’s arm curling around him and down his chest in a hold that should’ve felt restrictive, but didn’t. If anything, Alec was happy enough he was battling not to let out any sounds he wouldn’t be able to explain away.

They finished the movie like that. Alec was comfortable enough that he didn’t move, even when the credits began to roll.

It didn’t seem like Magnus wanted to move, either. He kept his arm around Alec, his index finger tracing designs on Alec’s shirt.

Lying there with him, Alec found his thoughts drifting back to the same thing they’d been thinking about for a while now. He didn’t realize that he’d started to tense up again until Magnus turned his head in, pressing his cheek against Alec’s hair. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah,” Alec said automatically. He lifted one hand and gathered his courage to reach up and brush his fingers over the ones that were on his shirt.

Those fingers shifted until they were lightly laced with his. The hold was nice. “Are you sure?” Magnus asked him. “You seem like you've got a lot on your mind tonight.”

That was an understatement. There was so much on Alec’s mind; so much that he couldn’t exactly just talk about. Which was the whole problem, really. But… maybe he could _sort of_ talk about it? Just so long as he didn’t come right out and say it? Alec chewed on his lip and thought carefully about his next words. “How did you decide to be open about who you are?” he asked abruptly. “You didn’t hesitate to show yourself as a warlock, even knowing I’m a Shadowhunter.”

For a brief moment, Magnus’ fingers went still. He clearly hadn’t been expecting that question. Then, with a soft breath, his thumb began to stroke over Alec’s. “I’ve had to hide who I am many times in my life. I’ve reached a point where I don’t feel the need to do that anymore, with anyone. I am who I am. If people don’t like it, it’s better to know right from the start than to get attached only to find out later that it isn’t something they can handle.”

That… made sense. A lot of sense. Alec stared down at their joined hands, absently fiddling with the rings that Magnus wore. “Weren’t you scared?”

“Of course,” Magnus said softly. The feel of his breath brushing through Alec’s hair as he spoke was like a soft tickle. One that Alec was quite content to feel. It also made his inner dragon want to give a happy rumble at the prospect of how much they were getting their scents all over one another. Even if Magnus didn’t realize he was doing it, blowing his breath into Alec’s hair was scent marking him in a way that Alec loved.

Alec wasn’t too focused on that at the moment, though. He was more focused on what Magnus had said. Hearing it – knowing that Magnus was scared, and yet he’d done it anyway, made Alec feel a bit like a coward. “I’m not as brave as you.”

“Alexander…”

“There are things about me you don’t know.” Even saying just those words was hard. _This is too soon_ , his mind screamed at him. _You’re being stupid!_ But, as Jace liked to say. Alec didn’t know how to do or feel things halfway. He was always either all in or all out, there was no in-between. Magnus’ scent had drawn him in, and the man’s personality and heart had done the rest. Because of that, Alec gathered up what little courage he had, even if he had to focus on just their hands to be able to say this. “I’m not… I don’t know when I’ll be comfortable telling you. But I don’t, I don’t want you thinking I’m lying and keeping huge secrets from you. Especially when I finally do tell you. I, um, I just, I don’t tell people some things. Ever. And I _want_ to, to tell you. Just… not yet?”

The arm around Alec squeezed, drawing him in a little bit closer, and Magnus’ other arm came up to wrap around him as well. “Whatever it is, I’m here to listen whenever you’re _ready_ to tell me, not when you think you _have_ to.”

There were no words to describe the gratitude that Alec felt. Instead, he followed his instincts, both human and dragon, and he twisted himself just enough that he could turn his head and tilt up to capture Magnus’ lips in a kiss that was slow and sweet.

They’d shared a soft peck here and there, and one deep kiss on the streets of Tokyo, and even gentle goodnight kisses. But this one stole Alec’s breath away. When Magnus’ free hand came up to cup his cheek, helping to tilt his head just right, the younger man let out a soft moan that Magnus easily swallowed down.

By the time they broke apart, both were breathing heavier, and the tension that had been in Alec was gone, replaced by a much more pleasant one.

“Thank you for being honest with me,” Magnus said, thumb curving to trace over the apple of Alec’s cheek.

Both the gesture and the words had Alec swallowing down a lump of emotion that seemed to settle like a rock in his throat. “I’m not – not really.”

“But you are,” Magnus insisted. He leaned in again, stealing a kiss that was softer and sweeter this time. When they broke apart, he was smiling. “You might not have told me what your secret is, darling, but you let me know it existed, and for now that’s enough. Communication is important, even if it isn’t always easy.”

“I heard that, um, relationships, they take effort.”

The smile Magnus wore grew until it made those little wrinkles around his eyes and that faint hint of a dimple in his cheeks. “I’m all for effort.” Bending in, he pressed a kiss against the tip of Alec’s nose, chuckling when it made his face scrunch up. It effectively broke the seriousness of the moment, draining away the last of any tension that Alec might’ve been feeling. The way Magnus was looking at him made it pretty clear the move had been deliberate. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. If you’d like, you’re more than welcome to stay the night. I promise to behave.”

The offer was given so casually, so easily, Alec actually found himself smiling.

“You, behave?” Alec teased him.

Magnus pretended to think about it. He finally lifted a hand and wobbled it back and forth in that so-so gesture. “Mostly?”

He grinned when Alec laughed at him.

Alec did end up staying. It was hard to resist the idea of being able to stay here with the warmth of Magnus and his scent wrapped all around Alec. Strong though Alec might be, he knew himself well enough to know he wasn’t strong enough to turn that down again.

Lying there in bed with Magnus pressed up against his back, arms around him as if to make sure that Alec didn’t try to somehow escape in their sleep, with the scent of the warlock completely surrounding them, it was the most at peace that Alec had ever felt. Alec closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, letting all of it sink into him until he felt his magic – locked down tight under his shields – give a happy little buzz in return. All parts of Alec were quiet and content right here, in the one place he was starting to think that maybe he was meant to be.

When he finally drifted off to sleep, it was with Magnus’ arms around him, and a smile on his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Up next, we reach canon times, and I get to show how drastically things change with dragon!Alec, and Malec in a committed relationship :D


End file.
